Burials

As it was now quite light, the party, none of whom had
eaten or slept since the previous morning, began to bestir
themselves to prepare food.

The mutineers of the Arrow had landed a small supply of
dried meats, canned soups and vegetables, crackers, flour, tea,
and coffee for the five they had marooned, and these were
hurriedly drawn upon to satisfy the craving of long-famished
appetites.

The next task was to make the cabin habitable, and to this
end it was decided to at once remove the gruesome relics of
the tragedy which had taken place there on some bygone day.

Professor Porter and Mr. Philander were deeply interested
in examining the skeletons. The two larger, they stated, had
belonged to a male and female of one of the higher white races.

The smallest skeleton was given but passing attention, as its
location, in the crib, left no doubt as to its having been the
infant offspring of this unhappy couple.

As they were preparing the skeleton of the man for burial,
Clayton discovered a massive ring which had evidently encircled
the man's finger at the time of his death, for one of the
slender bones of the hand still lay within the golden bauble.

Picking it up to examine it, Clayton gave a cry of astonishment,
for the ring bore the crest of the house of Greystoke.

At the same time, Jane discovered the books in the cupboard,
and on opening the fly-leaf of one of them saw the
name, JOHN CLAYTON, LONDON. In a second book which she
hurriedly examined was the single name, GREYSTOKE.

"Why, Mr. Clayton," she cried, "what does this mean?
Here are the names of some of your own people in these books."

We have hundreds more books for your enjoyment. Read them all!

"And here," he replied gravely, "is the great ring of the
house of Greystoke which has been lost since my uncle, John
Clayton, the former Lord Greystoke, disappeared, presumably
lost at sea."

"But how do you account for these things being here, in
this savage African jungle?" exclaimed the girl.

"There is but one way to account for it, Miss Porter," said
Clayton. "The late Lord Greystoke was not drowned. He
died here in this cabin and this poor thing upon the floor is
all that is mortal of him."

"Then this must have been Lady Greystoke," said Jane
reverently, indicating the poor mass of bones upon the bed.

"The beautiful Lady Alice," replied Clayton, "of whose many
virtues and remarkable personal charms I often have heard
my mother and father speak. Poor woman," he murmured sadly.

With deep reverence and solemnity the bodies of the late
Lord and Lady Greystoke were buried beside their little
African cabin, and between them was placed the tiny skeleton
of the baby of Kala, the ape.

As Mr. Philander was placing the frail bones of the infant
in a bit of sail cloth, he examined the skull minutely. Then he
called Professor Porter to his side, and the two argued in low
tones for several minutes.